Manchester City midfielder Bernardo Silva 'closing on Saudi Arabia move'

Manchester City midfielder Bernardo Silva is allegedly on the brink of accepting a transfer to a Saudi Arabian club.

The playmaker has just enjoyed the best season of his career, making a total of 55 appearances in all competitions as City won the Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League treble.

Silva chipped in with seven goals and eight assists in those tournaments, proving to be an instrumental part of Pep Guardiola's squad at the Etihad Stadium.

However, it is an open secret that the Portugal international is ready to take on a new challenge once City are presented with an acceptable offer for his signature.

With two years left on his contract, City may soon have to be open to a compromise, yet they are yet to receive a bid that meets their valuation, which is somewhere in the region of £75m.

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Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain have been credited with the most interest in Silva, although neither club are currently in a position where they can afford to complete the transfer.

Although that may change in due course, Marca claims that the 28-year-old is ready to accept an offer to move to the Saudi Pro League.

A specific club has not been named, but only Al-Ittihad, Al-Nassr, Al-Hilal and Al Ahli are in a position where they could afford Silva due to the contribution of the Public Investment Fund (PIF).

The report says that Silva is ready 'to leave Europe for the Saudi elite' having been presented with a substantial offer to take a new career path.

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In recent days, more and more players have been linked with a switch to the Saudi Pro League, with their transfer record on the brink of being broken through the move that will see Ruben Neves leave Wolverhampton Wanderers for Al-Hilal.

Chelsea players Edouard Mendy, Kalidou Koulibaly and Hakim Ziyech will also link up with different clubs, joining N'Golo Kante who has joined Al-Ittihad.

Tottenham Hotspur forward Son Heung-min has publicly stated that he will not be leaving the Premier League outfit this summer, shunning a switch to the Middle East.

Nevertheless, fresh bids are expected to be made for other notable names in due course as the nation bids to challenge European football's elite as one of the most attractive leagues in the world.